The girl whose hair fell out in handfuls when she tried her new Pantene shampoo

The advert shows TV presenter Myleene Klass playing the piano with her immaculate hair shimmering from root to tip. It is a display that convinced Sophie Peppercorn to try Pantene for the first time.

So she bought one of the shampoos which promised 'healthy looking hair in ten days' and could hardly wait to see the results.

But the 19-year- old administration assistant was left distraught the first time she used the shampoo when clumps of hair came out in the shower, leaving her with bald patches.

Horror: Left, Sophie prior to trying the shampoo out... and right, Sophie after her hair fell out in clumps when she tried the new product

Last night Miss Peppercorn wept as she described what happened. 'As I showered the bubbles from my hair I could feel a lot of it in my hands,' she said.

'But it was only when I patted my hair dry with a towel and looked in the mirror, that I realised the extent of the hair damage. My hairline had receded several inches where my hair had broken off at the roots. Meanwhile, the rest of my hair was so damaged and frizzy it was breaking off in handfuls. I was so devastated, I broke down in tears.'

When Miss Peppercorn, from Peterborough, called the Pantene helpline to complain she was offered a £5 Pantene voucher in compensation.

The Pantene helpline offered Miss Peppercorn a £5 voucher, she says

'Incredibly, they seem to think I will want to buy another bottle,' she said.

'I had seen the ads with Myleene Klass in them and obviously she has beautiful hair. So I thought I'd treat myself to her shampoo and see what it could do for me.

'I was excited about trying it. But I haven't stopped crying since.'

Miss Peppercorn went on to the internet and found many reports from women claiming that their hair fell out in similar circumstances.

She said: 'Many claim that a type of chemical wax, called sodium laureth sulphate, found in this and other shampoos is to blame.'

Miss Peppercorn also saw her GP who found no 'physical reason' for her hair to fall out. She is now wearing a wig to work and hoping her hair will grow back.

Chairman of the Institute of Trichologists-Marilyn Sherlock said sudden hair loss was not uncommon especially in younger women 'due to dieting and stressful busy lifestyles' and can appear to be because of a particular product.

She added: 'But quite often it's just a coincidence and could have happened with any shampoo.'

The bottle of shampoo has been returned to Pantene for analysis. A spokesman for Procter and Gamble, which makes Pantene, said: 'Consumer safety is our number one priority.

'Pantene is completely safe to use and is the leading product on the market as voted by thousands of women who buy and use our product every day.'